Steering mechanism for mechanically-driven road vehicles



Dec. 18, 1928.

F. H. ROYCE STEERING MECHANISM FOR MECHANICALLY DRIVEN ROAD VEHICLESFiled' July 2 :FREDERICK iiENRY EoYoE',-foF wns'rfwjir'rnnine, NniinfsionoR--fro notnsmovonigiiviirnn; onfnEnB, Eiv'ennnn.` f joni.oiinsfinnjv ENGLAND," iis- STEERING MECHA'NisMEoRMEciienieALLY-iinivnn. noni)-itienicialis.iY 1

ApplicatiofiiedJu-iy 12, 1925, serial' No; ieo,i5s,anain Grenensainv.'niiyjio, i925.

f f lThis invention has Areference to l the steering of mechanicallydriven road vehicles. The steering mechanism of such vehicles coniinonlycomprises a rocking shaftfrom' which a lever conneotedltothe wheels isprojected,`

and to which is attached a rocking arm which takesthe form oftwoparallellevers at right vangles to kthe axis .of the rocking shaftsupporting the gearing. to the .steering column...

comprises a worin on the steering column engaging'7av correspondingthread of a nut, whicheis provided 'with trunnions exten ded on eachside parallel to the axis ofthe rocking shaft, journalled in bearings?in "the said' two levers, thus enabling the nut to rotate in A a planenormal tothe rocking yshaftffor `the y y purpose of keeping alignmentwith 'the'steeikl tortions.

ing wormwhenj travelling -upor downtlie worin. Thisinvention is aniinpiovementon such form and consists inproviding means n whereby thesaid `nutgcanwithin prescribed limits, yvary its alignment inrelation'to the rocking shaft in .a plane parallel to, aswell asin aplanen'orinalto the aXisfofsuch shaft,

l so as tofenable the nut toleep perfect alignnient with the Vsteeringworm nouivithstanding slight inaccuracies of constructionordia f ThisIffeffect ment between thenuty and thefbracket or lever projectedl froni,the rocking shaft, and Var# ranging that such other element-shallbecapable of rocking relatively to such shaft ion being nor-` to the nut,theplanes of rota malto one another.'V I n i l A.

' l For example I 'construct the nut with oppositely placed trunnions'projected therefrom, and I construct cage split 'in two halves-toembrace the nut and forming journals for the trunnions thereof, `theeagehaving Voppositeqy j plaoedftrunnions extending therefrom, ftheVaxis ofthe trunnions onftlie'nutnnd that'of the trunnions on theca'gebeing normal to one another,"and the trunnions. ofthe cage beingjournalled on the said vlevers attachedto the rocking *shaft PreferablytheaXis of one set of trunnions is` parallel fwithfthe'f rocking shaft.Y Except where the cage `fits around-the trunnions of the nut-there is asmall"- clearance between the nutan'd thecage'so as Jto-enable the nutto adjustitselfas'aboveV explained. e In another form of this inventionthe eX;- 'terior ofthe nut might bev sphericahjandb-e enclosed in asleeve withv a sphericalinterior nuts Vholding the two omitted..`

:nuts 212.

introducing another `ele#v ln the accompanying drawingsanexampleV of myinvention'is illustrated.

fFig. l is ai sectional `view onflinel-.l 'of Fig. Zand, Fig. 2, is asectional view on vline 2-1-2 of Fig.-l.f Figs and tare external views,(each rightangles to thefother) `of e `acage made in .two halvesembracing the nut ,ln one form heretofore in use the gearing" engaged bythesteering column, the ,bolts andV halves together being.

. a is abracket bolted together by vbolts alandjsecured to.

e y secured by bolts al. to the side, l f member ofthe chassisvframe.-isa-casecontaining the mechanisnnniadeintwofhalves .70 1

fbracke't ajby bolts 'afandrnutsaw Zr is a 1 y bracket secured to casinga2 'by bolts jbl' and l o3 is a steering'.column lpegged:and

braisedV into the bracket b. 21,0 isv the steering v75 shaft with thethread'cl,l formed thereon enl supported ati-ts other. end,vv andaxiallylo-` the nut e hereinafter described, andfV cated in theAsteering column, by `balli bearings of which the components are thesleeve meinlber csecured tothe column Z3 and'havinga i ysphericalseat,the race c3V seatingon the inem@ pendulum lever (Zi, whichissecured thereto.

iyserrations Z3v and nut Z3 engaging-a thread 1 thereon, and rockinginfbushes (Z4. The shaftv ber c2, the-racel.ctabutting onfa shoulderv 1formed on the shaft c, kthe race c?, theinte'r-` f ,f

Z isi crank shape (seeFigf'Qi-to afiordclear-uVV iancefortliecageiliereinaflterdescribed; .Two

flat annular "brackets ,':rZf `are Vformed onthe lshaft (Z, and toenablethe .brackets to?` be as# sembled aroundl the cagehereinafter vdeescribed the shaft' is `inadeirrtivo Vpartsspigot-` ed togethenby-sgigotd, `oval flanges d?. .are formed. onthe contiguous edges (see l)v "andthe vtwo `parts ar-'e secured together. byL :bolts Z8 passing throughperforations'insuch flanges.H eis a nut having its threadengaging vthethread c1 .of the shaft @formed with trunl i* nionsf e1. f isa cagevformed withv cylindrical openings f1, which form yourn ais for'thetruniiions el," and with trnnnions f2 which are jour-j nalled' .inbushes 'f3 .located inthe holesin Ythe j brackets (Z5. The cage f ismade iny two parts f to'enable itA to be assembledfaround'thenut e,

lio: v f

Y 'naled in said beingr secured together blybolts f* (if-alignment 71thapparatus described as above the nut e the aligimientA of which shouldconform to that oi the steering shaft c, can vary (to a limited extent)its alignment in relation to the rocking shaft rl both horizontally andvertically, and' so kee perfectV alignment With the Asteering sha t cnotwithstanding any small inaccuracy due to construction or distortion.

What I claim is l. Steeringmechanism `for motor vehicles including asupport, a steering shaft jonrsupport and provided with screw threads, anut engaging said screw threads, a rock shaft journalcd in said supportand adapted to be operatively connected to the vehicle Wheels, and means.in which said nut is mounted to rotate about mutually pcrleiendicularaxes concurrent withthe axis of said nut andoperably connecting saidrock shaft to said nu 2.. Steering mechanism for motor vehiclesincluding a support, a steering shaft journaled in said support, andprovided with a Worm, a nut engaging said vvorln, a rock shaft journaledin said support and adapted tobe operatively connected to the vehiclewheels, and means pivotally connecting said nut to saiidi shaft to rock.sai-d 'shaft and pivoted about an axis parallel to said shaft and in iwhichsaid nut is mounted to rotate about an axis perpendicular to theaxis of said nut.

3; Steering mechanism for motor vehicles including a support, a steeringshaft journaled in said support and `having a `Worm 'formed thereon, anut engaging said Worm, a rock shaft journaled in said support andadapted to be operatively connected to the vehicle wheels, a leverextending radially from said shaft, and means rockable about nuituallyperpendicular axes perpendicular to the axis of said nut to connect saidlever pivotally to said nut.

Ll.. Steering mechanism for motor. vehicles including a support, asteering shaft journaled in said support and having a Worm formedthereon, a nut yengaging said worm, andv having diametrically oppositetrunnions extending therefrom, a rock shaft journaled in said supportand adapted to be operatively1 connected to the vehicle Wheels, abifurcated lever extending laterally from said rock shaft and having thefureations thereof extending'on opposite sides of said nut, a cageembracing said nut and having bearings in which said trunnions arejournaled, said cage being pivoted to said furcationsto rock about anaxis perpendicular to theaxis of said trunnions.

5in. Steering mechanism for motor vehicles la rock shaft journaledincluding alsnppurt, a str` rin sha-ft, jour` naled in said support anha `ing a-worm formedthereon, a nut engaging said Worm, a rockshaftjournaledfin said supportant] adapted to be operatively connectedto the vehicle Wheels, and means operably connecting saidnut to saidrock shaft, and supportinfr said nut for rotation therein about mutual vperpendicular axes, oneiofwhioh is par allel to axis of said rock shaft,said rock shaft being laterally recessed 5toL provide clearance for saidconnecting means. i

(i. Steeringmechanism for motor vehicles including a. support, alsteering shaft journaled in saidV support andhavifng a Worin torn'xedthereon, a nut engaging saidu'orn'i, aV rock shaft journaledin saidsupport and adapted to be operatively connected toj the vehicle wheels,said nut having dianictrical'l'y` opposite trunnions extendingradiallytherefrom, a cage around said nut andhaving bearings in whichsaid trunnions are mount-S ed, said cage having diametrically oppositetrunnions, the axis offvvhich is perpendicular to the axis ot' the firstnamed trunnions, and armsextending laterally from said roel; shaft andprovided with bearings to seat the'ca'ge trnnnions parallel to the axisof said roch shaft, said rock shaft being recessed between said arms toVprovide clearance for said cage;

7. Steering meehanisntfor motor vehicles includinga support, a steeringshaft jfour-v naled in said support and having a worm formed thereon., anut Vengaging said Worm, p in said support` and adapted to beoperativelyconnected to the vehicle Wheels, said nut having diametrically oppositetrunnions extending radially therefrom, a cage around said nut andhaving bearings in which said trunnions are mounted, said cage havingdiametrically opposite trunnions, the axis of `which is perpendicular tothe axis of the first named trunnions, and arms extending laterally fromsaid rock shaft and provided With earings to seat the cage trunnionsparallel to the axis of said rock shaft, the said rock Shaft beingformed in two alined sections joined between `said arms, and means forsecuring said sections together. Y

8. Steering mechanism for motor vehicles including a support, asteeringshaft jourf naled in said support and havingra Worm formedthereom a nut engaging said worm, a rock shaft journaled in said supportand adapted to be operativel;I connected tothe vehicle Wheels, said nuthaving diametrically opposite Vtrunnions extending radially:` therefrom, a cage around said nut and havin", bearings in which saidtrunnions are mount ed, said cage, having diamctrically oppositetrunnions, the axis 4of which is` perpendicular to the axisot the rstnamed ltrunnions,

and arms extending laterallyitrom said'roek shaft and provided withhearingst'o seatthe K a clearingfrecess for said cage, the end of oneLeeaeeaf s cage trunnions parallel `to the axis of saidA rock shaft, thesaid Yrock shaftV comprising two alined sections pivoted about thesame'V axis in said support and each having a part thereof offsetparallel to said axis to provide of saidV parts havingja projectionseated in a recess providedin the adjacent end of the other, andflangesbolted to .each other formed on thecontacting ends of saidparts.

9. Steering mechanism for motor vehicles including av support,y asteering shaft ljour,- lnaled insaid support and having a worm formedthereon, a cylindrical Vnut operatively i embracing said worm, a rockshaft journaled lin said support and adapted to be operatively connectedto the road'wheels, a cage having a cylindrical lbore of larger diameterthan the external diameter of said nut andhaving a pair of diametricallyopposite trunnions.

extending therefrom and being provided y with diametrically oppositealined bearing apertures having the axisthereof perpendicularto the axesof said trunnions, a pair of diametrically opposite trunnions 'extendingradially from said nut landseated iny said. apertures, a pair ofparallel leverkarms extending jradially fromV said rock shaft and havingalined bearing apertures formed therein and-rotatably receivingthetrunnions of said cage parallel to the axis of said shaft, said shaftbeing offset opposite said cage to provide clearance therefor during therock ing thereof.v

10. Steering mechanism formotor vehicles comprising a casing havinga'steering cola steering Shaftl vumn extending therefrom,

l Y extending'through said column into said casing and having a wormformed on the part.4 thereof in said casing, means for kmounting theshaft to swing universally about the free end of said column, a rockshaft journaled inv said casing and adapted to be connected to v theroad wheels of the vehicle, a nut engaging said worm, and meanspivotedto saidA nut and I to said rock shaft torock lsaid rock shaft-by axialvrotation of saidfsteering shaft.

a rock shaft adapted to be operably engaging said worm, and meanspivoted to said nutabout'an axisv rotatable vin a plane perpendiculartothe axis of'said vvrock shaft y 12. VSteering mechanism formotor.vehi-A cles r,comprismg a steering column, a steers` ingv shaft,-meansfor Vmounting said shaft yto swing universallyy and rotate axiallyy insaid column, a worm l*on Said shaft, la nutv engaglng said worm, acagepivoted to said Vnut and Y means pivotally connecting saidcagevtothe4 road wheelsof the vehicle.

13. "Steering 'mechanism for i motor s vehicles Vcomprising asteeringcolumn, a steering shaft, ball Vbearings"suuporting said shaft rotatableabout-itsaxis -ink said columnand to swing universally in `said column`casing lconnected to. said column, afrock sl1'aft1jourvabout anaxisparallelv thereto 'to rock said. .i shaft by movementof said nutonsaid worm; i l

naled in said casing, andada-pted to be operf ably lconnected to theroad wheels of the vehicle, Said rockshafthaving a pairpof bear-V ingarms'extending radially fromsaidrock yshaft and on opposite sides ofsaidsteering shaft, a cage pivoted to, and between said.

arms, a worm formed onthe part of the-steering shaft between said arms,`and a nutpivs ing shaft.-

In witness whereoflhave signed this speci!v I fication.

Qted in said cage `anden'gaging said Worm tof Y .roclrsaid rock shaftrotation vof said steeriinnnnnicx Roveri;`

